Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has launched a ₦306 million tech-enabling business grant called NKATA to support businesses across all 17 LGAS of the State.

Speaking while receiving the management team of the Abia State Technology Skills Acquisition Centre, (ATSAC), and unveiling the project, Governor Alex Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and creating sustainable economic opportunities for the youths of the State.

Governor Otti reiterated that the initiative was deliberately designed to accommodate different categories of beneficiaries across the State to ensure inclusiveness and wider access to economic opportunities.

The State Chief Executive noted that a total sum of ₦306 million has been earmarked for the beneficiaries, and maintained that they must meet up with the requirements for benefiting from the project and expressed the hope that the intervention would yield positive results.

“I want to congratulate everyone. The ₦306 million is available, but beneficiaries must meet all the necessary conditions.

“In a few months’ time, I want to hear that this intervention has yielded results, not just in monetary terms, but in job creation, poverty reduction, and empowerment of our people,” Governor Otti stated

The Governor said that the programme aligns with his administration’s vision of building a productive, self-reliant and innovation-driven economy, saying that government has gone forth and back on the issue and is now convinced that it would help to support the youths.

He explained that his administration deliberately chose to invest in productive ventures capable of generating long-term economic value, instead of funding mere consumption.

“We have gone forth and back on this, and we are convinced that this is one of the ways to support and help our people,” Governor Otti stated.

“The easiest way to spend money is to give it to people who consume it, but we will receive value when it is invested, and that investment will yield returns. This is our own way of intervening,” Gov. Otti said.

Governor Otti further disclosed that the grant project forms part of broader economic empowerment initiatives of his administration targeted at equipping Abians with relevant skills and support to become self-reliant and employers of labour.

The Governor said that the goal is to support and train Abia people so that they can become self-reliant and employers on their own, and urged them to utilise the opportunity responsibly by expanding their businesses, creating jobs and contributing meaningfully to the economic growth and development of Abia State.

Presenting the project earlier, the Director-General, Abia State Technological Skills Acquisition Centre (ATSAC), Mr Peter Ukonu,
described the programme as a strategic intervention aimed at supporting businesses, reducing poverty and creating employment opportunities across the State.

He explains that the NKATA, which adopts a different structure by deploying support through technology providers, rather than giving cash, was deliberately designed to ensure that technology resources are utilised for business expansion and productivity rather than diverted to other personal expenditures.

“We are not giving cash to businesses directly. We are actually doing so through technology service providers,” Ukonu added.

He said that the programme brings together business technology service providers and mentors to drive digital tools, automation and AI, adding that the goal is to help Abia businesses move from survival to growth, improve productivity, create jobs and build a new generation of technology-enabling businesses.

Mr. Ukonu, who revealed that technology companies, software firms, hardware suppliers and internet providers would participate as service providers, while mentors, including those in the diaspora, would guide businesses in developing viable proposals and matching technological needs with solutions, explained that those eligible for the scheme are all Abia residents, who do business and pay taxes in Abia.

The Chief of Staff to Abia state Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba says Governor Alex Otti is intentional about transforming Abia from a production hub into a globally respected manufacturing brand.

Pastor Ajagba stated this shortly  during the flagging-off ceremony of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Competitiveness and Industrial Productivity Programme (MCIPP) Quality Assurance Assessors (QAA) Training Programme, held at the new main auditorium of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba.

While reiterating that Governor Otti’s initiative to rebrand and improve the quality of made in Aba products, Pastor Ajagba disclosed that the training of Quality Assurance Assessors represents a bold and deliberate step in the journey to reposition the State, especially Aba, as the hub of excellence in fashion, garment and leather production in the nation and across Africa.

He said that the state government remains committed to creating an enabling environment for enterprise growth through infrastructure development, policy support, access to finance and quality standardisation.

The Chief of Staff appreciated the partners and facilitators of the project, including Ethnocentrique Limited and MasterCard Foundation for their collaboration and technical expertise, and reminded the trainees that the success of the initiative depends largely on their commitment, discipline and integrity in applying what they would learn, while urging MSME operators to embrace the process.

In his speech, the MCIPP Team Lead, Adedapo Conde, while describing the Quality Assurance Assessors Program as a critical component of the MCIPP, designed to strengthen the skills ecosystem and support the transformation of Aba into a globally recognized skills delivery and export hub, explained that the event will also provide an opportunity for the MCIPP Team to engage directly with participants, offering deeper insights into the program and other strategic initiatives of the State Government aimed at supporting the growth and competitiveness of MSMEs.

Mr. Conde lauded Governor Otti for his visionary leadership and support, noting that Ethnocentrique Limited remains fully committed to partnering with the state government to realise its vision of positioning Aba as a globally recognised skills delivery and export hub.

The flag-off ceremony which attracted the presence of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Industry and SMEs, Mrs Chinwe Kalu Uba, Rector, Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Dr Christopher Okoro, among other notable individuals featured the presentation of CAC and SMEDAN certificates to business owners.

The Abia State Government has rolled out a sweeping development blueprint spanning education, infrastructure, urban renewal, and public safety, as Governor Alex Otti prepares to headline the forthcoming convocation ceremonies of Abia State University (ABSU).

Briefing journalists at Government House, Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed that the Governor will commission key projects at ABSU while simultaneously flagging off a new wave of ambitious developments within the institution.

Top among the projects slated for commissioning are three fully rehabilitated hostels—Hostels A, B, and C—marking a significant upgrade in student accommodation.

In a bold expansion drive, Governor Otti will also flag off the construction of several landmark projects, including:
A new Faculty of Law
A modern university cafeteria
A 5,000-capacity male hostel
A 5,000-capacity female hostel
A Faculty of Agriculture

The developments coincide with ABSU’s 30th to 32nd convocation ceremonies scheduled for March 26–27, 2026. The pre-convocation lecture will be delivered by renowned industrialist, Bart Nnaji.
The institution will also confer honorary degrees on distinguished Nigerians, including:
Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi
Allen Onyema
Stella Okoli

In a strategic move to strengthen technical education, the State Executive Council has approved the transfer of ABSU’s Osisioma campus to Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic as its permanent site.

The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Uche Emeh Uche, clarified that the campus was previously underutilized, with no student presence despite existing TETFund-supported structures. She confirmed that the site will now serve as a fully residential campus, supported by new hostel developments and administrative facilities already approved by the Governor.

Addressing rising concerns over road safety, the government has approved the installation of speed bumps across strategic roads in Umuahia to curb excessive speeding and protect commuters.
This initiative complements a broader urban renewal programme involving:
Roadside tree planting
Landscaping of public spaces
Installation of road signs
Painting and repair of curbs

Key areas targeted include Boulevard, Library Avenue, and the corridor from Shoprite through Aba Park.

The government also reported significant progress in road construction and rehabilitation across the state:
51 direct labour road projects ongoing
2 completed, with 3 new ones added
29 major projects under contract
Notable completed roads include:
Abiriba Road (Orieagwa Junction to Amaogudu Roundabout)
Okpuala-Umuala-Nbawsi Road
New and ongoing projects span multiple communities, including Ohokobe Ndume, Umuahia South, Ossah, Nsirimo, and Umuneochi.

In a move to decentralize development, the government has established the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA), complementing existing regional bodies.
According to GODA Director-General, Obinna Odum, the authority is already executing strategic projects such as:
Amaekpu Ring Road (1.53km)
Ezera Road (2.35km)
Erosion control works in Bende
Road networks across Arochukwu and Umuneochi
These efforts aim to enhance connectivity and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce across Abia North.

Construction at the Afara Relief Market has advanced significantly, with perimeter fencing completed and compensations paid.
Additionally, the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA) is set to rehabilitate internal roads within the Methodist Theological Institute, further boosting institutional infrastructure.

The state government also announced a solemn state burial service in honour of late cleric Uma Ukpai.
The event is scheduled for March 26, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. Describing him as a devoted ambassador of Christ, the government noted that his legacy brought pride to Abia State and beyond.
Overall, the sweeping initiatives underscore the Governor Alex Otti administration’s aggressive push toward infrastructural transformation, educational advancement, urban modernization, and citizen safety, positioning Abia as a rapidly evolving hub of development in Nigeria.